BEVERLY HILLS, CA (December 11, 2012) -- The nominees for THE 44TH NAACP IMAGE AWARDS were announced today during a live press conference from the Paley Center for Media in Beverly Hills, CA. Anthony Anderson (Guys with Kids), Niecy Nash (The Soul Man), Yvette Nicole Brown (Community), Garcelle Beauvais (Flight), Tyler James Williams (Go On), and Zendaya (Shake It Up!) announced the categories and nominees.

The NAACP Image Awards celebrates the accomplishments of people of color in the fields of television, music, literature and film and also honors individuals or groups who promote social justice through creative endeavors. Winners will be announced during the two-hour star-studded event, which will air live on Friday, February 1 (8 ET live/PT tape-delayed) on NBC.

ABC and CBS lead the nominees in the TV categories with 20 and 12 nominations respectively, followed by HBO and Lifetime with 10 and NBC with 9. In the recording category, RCA leads with 11 nominations, followed by Atlantic with 10 nominations. The Weinstein Company leads with 4 nominations, and Lionsgate and Paramount Pictures follow with 4 in the motion picture category.

"We are proud to celebrate the artists and activists who use their craft to share positive images of our culture." stated NAACP Chairman Roslyn M. Brock. "The artistic community is an important ally for social justice, and the NAACP Image Awards provides an excellent venue to recognize those who make a difference through art and activism."

"We are happy that once again the Image Awards will be aired on NBC," said NAACP President and CEO Benjamin Todd Jealous. "For 44 years, the Image Awards have recognized the best that communities of color have to offer, both in the arts and in civil rights. The NAACP is proud to honor all of these achievements."

Founded in 1909, the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) is the nation's oldest and largest civil rights organization. The organization's half-million adult and youth members throughout the United States and the world are the premier advocates for civil rights in their communities and monitor equal opportunity in the public and private sectors.

Outstanding Actor in a Daytime Drama Series
· Aaron D. Spears - "The Bold and the Beautiful" (CBS)
· Erik Valdez - "General Hospital" (ABC)
· James Reynolds - "Days of Our Lives" (NBC)
· Kristoff St. John - "The Young and the Restless" (CBS)
· Rodney Saulsberry - "The Bold and the Beautiful" (CBS)

Outstanding Actress in a Daytime Drama Series
· Angell Conwell - "The Young and the Restless" (CBS)
· Julia Pace Mitchell - "The Young and the Restless" (CBS)
· Kristolyn Lloyd - "The Bold and the Beautiful" (CBS)
· Shenell Edmonds - "One Life to Live" (ABC)
· Tatyana Ali - "The Young and the Restless" (CBS)

Outstanding Literary Work - Biography/ Auto-Biography
· "Across That Bridge: Life Lessons and a Vision for Change" - John Lewis (Hyperion)
· "Interventions: A Life in War and Peace" - Kofi Annan (The Penguin Press)
· "The Black Count: Glory, Revolution, Betrayal, and the Real Count of Monte Cristo" - Tom Reiss (Crown Publishers)
· "The Good Food Revolution: Growing Healthy Food, People, and Communities " - Will Allen (Gotham Books)
· "The One: The Life and Music of James Brown" - RJ Smith (Gotham Books)